What’s a Duck Got To Do With Anything?

Last week I wrote a post on Facebook about a message I had received from someone who was working hard at trying to live their dream. They were in that in between stage where you almost give up because you feel like you are not making in headway. They sent me a message saying how impressed they were that I was having so much success in my life and they confessed that sometimes when they read my posts on Facebook they wondered how I could keep getting so lucky. They wished they had my life.

They asked me what they were doing wrong. I replied nothing! I get rejections and disappointment all the time. I just try to magnify my success so I can minimize my disappointment.This helps me move on.

One of the people on my page that has followed me from almost the beginning of what I like to call the “Journey To A New Me”, shared a story that he wrote on his blog a few years ago. I asked him if I could share it with everyone who reads my blog and subscribes to my newsletter. He agreed for me to do so. I learned what a Duck’s life was truly like. What do ducks have to do with anything? I am sure you are thinking I squirreled on you.

Read on…

About The Author:

My Mission in life is to have a positive impact on the evolving human consciousness through teaching the ideals of Personal Empowerment. I am a voracious reader of anything related to personal growth, creating a prosperity conscious, including from the writers of the past century and beyond. I spend time writing everyday, and believe it is one of the most fulfilling activities anyone can partake in, even if you don’t think you can write well! My personal belief is that we are here to share ourselves with others and do everything in our power to help create a better world for all through actions based on integrity.

Are You A Duck?

Not long ago, I read a cute little story about a conversation between a very successful, enterprising man and his apprentice. The young apprentice was almost dumbfounded as he considered all that his mentor was able to accomplish and even more so that he could make it all look so easy.

The young apprentice asked his mentor how he was able to be so successful when it seemed he didn’t even have to try. Everything he set out to do, he accomplished quickly and easily. You could almost sense a touch of jealousy in the young apprentice’s voice. “That is because” said the mentor to his apprentice “I am a duck.” A duck? What do you mean by that?” asked the apprentice. Well, the mentor began to explain: “Have you ever watched how a duck seems to just glide across a pond, so gracefully and effortlessly? It really is a beautiful sight, for sure. But if you were able to look below the surface of the water, you’d see a different story. You would see that his little feet are going like hell.”

You see, the message here is that what most people see when they look at any example of success is only the surface, the end results of what has surely been a long and arduous struggle for the individual involved. Success can come to anybody, but it won’t come to you until you’ve done your homework. This takes initiative on your part. It takes effort. It takes many things.

The most important, I believe, is it takes the correct mindset. You really have become the person you want to be in your mind before you will see results in your circumstance. In any case, when you do see examples of success in any form, you can know that person has been doing something to have gotten to where they are.

Don’t think for a moment that you can simply wish your way to success. There will be work involved, but if this work is in alignment with who you are (your purpose), it may not feel so much like work. It will be enjoyable to you. Enjoyable as it may be, it still means doing something, and the more you do in the way of working towards the achievement of your dream, the sooner you will arrive. And one very great benefit of finally achieving a long awaited dream, is that you will then have the opportunity to tell someone that you are a duck!

By Jeffrey Brandt

This article was originally shared on Jeffrey Brandt’s Blog. You can connect with Jeffrey on Facebook. And check out his book on Amazon. Just click on the book below and it will take you there.